LOUISVILLE, Colo. — Kathy Adam remembers the moment the Marshall Fire was approaching Avista Adventist Hospital.
“I was actually at the nurse's station, and we all started to smell smoke and wondered where it was coming from, and shortly after that, we received the order from incident command to evacuate,” said the clinical nurse coordinator.
Their first priority were the patients.
“Before we knew it, we had multiple staff down here helping," said Adam. "We had moms and babies coming down from O.B. They did that vertical evacuation first, and NICU babies coming down next."
In some areas, the flames came within four feet of the hospital’s highly flammable oxygen tanks. Employees used hoses and buckets of water to stop the fire.
Twelve hospital employees lost their homes in the fire, but on that day, all patients were evacuated safely.
“You know, I didn't feel scared," said Adam. "You just went into kind of this, and we've been trained to do this mode, and you did what you had to do."
Issac Sendros, CEO of Avista Adventist Hospital, says crews have worked around the clock since the fire, making sure every piece of equipment and supplies were reviewed and cleaned multiple times.
“We’re just looking forward to reopening to help with the healing process,” said Sendros.
To his surprise, signs with messages of support were put up outside the hospital by the community.
“We’re trying to reopen so we actually pour out our love to them, but the fact that they’re doing it to us is simply amazing,” said Sendros.
As the hospital hallways prepare to welcome back patients and staff, it also comes with a reminder of the strength of a community.
“We're happy to be back to our home," said Adam. "We're happy to be back to our family and staff that we know."
From housing to food banks and everything else in between, there are many ways people affected by the Marshall Fire can get help — and how you can help. Click here for more.
